HORNELL, NY (April 5, 2009) - The Utica College softball team lost two Empire 8 Conference games at Alfred University Sunday. The Pioneers lost game one 9-2 before falling 5-2 in the night cap. Sophomore Kim Martin went 3-for-8 at the dish over the course of two games.

Sophomore outfielder Claire Gerlach drove in the only two runs for the Pioneers in the first game of the doubleheader. Gerlach and senior Rinae Olsen combined for four of the team's six hits. Sophomore Kristin Levin pitched all six innings for UC allowing five earned runs on seven hits. She also walked one batter and struck out four. Levin drops to 5-4 so far this season with the loss. In the end, the Pioneers two errors and four unearned runs proved too much to overcome.

Game two did not fare much better for the Pioneers. The Saxons jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a three-run homer by Molly Shepherd and never looked back. Utica got on the board in the fourth inning on a RBI ground out by Gerlach that scored Brianna Pristera. Alfred added two more runs in the sixth inning to take a 5-1 lead on the Pioneers. UC tried to mount a comeback in the seventh inning, but fell short despite a RBI single by Levin that scored Kristina Reeves and cut the deficit to three runs. Levin led the way for the Pioneers going 2-for-3 and driving in one run. Senior Andrea Curley pitched all seven innings for UC allowing three earned runs on five hits and striking out four batters. She drops to 4-2 on the season with the loss.

Utica College snaps an eight-game win streak with the back-to-back losses to Alfred. The Pioneers drop to 10-8 overall and 2-2 in Empire 8 play, while Alfred improves to 16-2 (2-2 E8). UC returns to the diamond Tuesday, April 7 against visiting Hamilton College. The game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

-www.ucpioneers.com-